The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1887-07-16
shighton, Carbon County. Penna. July 16, 1887

She vas turning away when she espied
something nodding lazily, like gigantic
pink lily, to and fro in an eddy beneath the
lowermost ledge.
Every vestigo Of color blanched from her
startled face as she eazed.
The pink something, nodding on the ris-
ing tide, was her own parasol, and beneath
1t In tangle of floating laces she caught a
glimpse of Cora Mortimer's ghastly and
unconscious countenance.
Only little while before Bessie felt she
hated this girl with yengeful hate,
~ could watch the sea close over her,
could listen to her last shrck without feci-
ing throb of pity or lifting hand to save
her." Bessie had thought.
The sea was closing over poor, wicked
Cora now, as she lay there senselcss with
the rising tide already creeping about and
Unfolding her.
For one Instant Bessie drew fierce
breath and set her white teeth hard upon
her whittier lips. but the next she was her
own true, noble self again.
There was no time to call for help; what
was to be done she must do unalded, and
there was not a second 10 lose if she would
syae the girl from death in the pitiful sea.
How she clambered down the ledge she
never knew. A single incautious step, an
atom OF crumbling earth, might have end
ed her own brave young life; but she neith-
er paused nor hesitated.
And at length, with her tender hands
bruised aud bleeding, she gained the low
ernest ledge, and then with one last SUI
preme effort and with superhuman strength
she drew the insensible girl 10 place of
safety.
As she accomplished her heroic act, an
agitated voice from the bank above sent an
encouraging call down to her.
"Oh. Walterr' was all she could falter
forth, as a sense of blessed relief brought a
burst Of nervous tears.
As he had stood watching her recede
from sight. he had been ruled at last by the
yearning of his great love, and so had fol-
lowed her.
Bessie, brave child, keep your courage
until can bring somebody" he called
tenderlv down to her.
All the imperishable love of his strong
true heart was in that tender, agitated call.
A divine smile flashed though the tears
of the lovely face uplifled toward him.
Bessie needed no further injunction to
keep up her courage.
She knew that whatever their estrange-
ment had been, she was beloved, and she
felt life to be glorious possession.
A half hour later Cora Mortimer regalned
consciousness in the pleasant sitting-room
| of the Eliot house.
She had been stunned and cruelty bruised
by her fall, ard it would be weeks before
she would be quite herself again.
The knowledge that Bessie had sayed
her life aroused all that was womanly in
her false and shallow soul.
| "Why did YOU not leave me TO drown as
deserved" she sobbed in bitter reInorse.
II told Walter what was untrue about
those letters; told him they we're written
by loyer to whom you had long been be-
trothcd. thought he would learn to care
for me II | could turn his heart from you.
But the evil have done, Bessie, will un-
do"
But the confession she made to Walter
| Vivian was not necessary to complete his
happiness.
He had already achieved happy under
standing with lovely Bessie, and was only
too penitent for having doubted her.
'But there is always something lacking
somewhere" philosophic Master JackS
says: ''you ought to have the pink parasol
as souvenir, and you haven't"
For the pink parasol, which had revealed
Cora's danger and which had hastened a
happy wedding, was submerged in the surf
and lost forever.